A Five-Stage Model for Sustaining a Community Campaign

Abstract

The Sisters Together, Move More Eat Better pilot communication program focuses on young Black women in three inner-city communities to encourage improved nutrition and increased physical activity. The design for Sisters Together is based on an expansion of a public health campaign that combines social marketing with community building efforts. The pilot program design comprises five phases: design, promotion, demonstration, transfer, and sustained activity. The proposed five-stage model holds potential for increasing the life span of a campaign and contributing to community building. Partnerships and coalition development promise to maintain the campaign beyond the limited budget period. This descriptive article illustrates the elements of a hybrid model for the design of a communication program with examples from Sisters Together, Move More Eat Better, a pilot program currently in the last year of implementation.